On Tuesday the Turnbull Government will release its 2018-19 Budget. With an expected windfall in revenue this is the time to direct spending to the people most in need.

Inequality is growing in Australia with over 3 million people living below the poverty line. UnitingCare Australia calls on the Federal Government to use the Budget funds to invest in programs and services that support individuals and families that are struggling.

Every May in Canberra, as winter hibernation begins, the nation’s capital comes alive as commentators descend on Parliament House to hear the Treasurer’s reading of the Federal Budget. Eager to examine the announced measures and their impact on our community, analysts compare, contrast and scrutinise the finer details, determining ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ and assessing the overall state of our economy. Of course, the frenzy of activity on Budget night is the culmination of perpetual forecasting, strategizing and planning to determine how best to economically organise ourselves to thrive as a society. But, Budget night itself represents a time for optimism and opportunity—a moment to take stock, plan and unpack the economic roadmap laid out by our political leaders, policy and decision-makers that collectively, hopefully, form a pathway towards our national prosperity.